Apparatus for assembling tubes and liners in gun construction



0v. 4, 1924. 1,514,269 7 R. c. MORGAN ET AL APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLINGTUBES AND LINERS IN GUN CONSTRUCTION ori inal Filed Jan. 11, 1922Illillll Y lllll zz E i \2/ Patented Nov. 4, 1924.

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REES: G. MORGAN AND JOHN F EELLEC-OE BETHLEHEHL, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNQRSTO IBETHLEHEJH STEEL COMPANY, 03F BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA, A GOREORA-TION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBILING TUBES AND LINERS IN CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed January 11, 1922, Serial No. 528,575. RenewedSeptember 22, 1924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that We, Runs C. Moreen and JOHN F. "PELLY, citizens of theUnited States, and residing at Bethlehem, county of Lchigh, State ofPennsylvania, respective ly', have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Apparatus for Assembling Tubes and Liners in GunConstruction, of which the following is a specification. This inventionrelates to apparatus for assembling liners and tubes of guns of largecaliber.

It is a practically universalpracticein gun inai'iu'facturc to providethe liner with one .01 more forwardly facing annular shoulders which aredesigned to abut against corresponding rearvvardly facing annularshoulders formed on the inside of the tube. These shoulders are intendedto prevent the liner from creeping toward the muzzle of the gun inservice, due to the "niandrelling out? e'fiectof theprojectiles passingthrough the bore at-liiglrspeeds, and to the effect of the powderpressiire. In the shrinhagernethod of assembling the tube and liner the'latter is usually placed in avertical position and either cooledinternally by Water jets or keptat ordinary room or shop temperature,While the tube is heated and expanded so that the diameter of its boreis greater than,

the outer diameter of the liner, after which the tuhe is lowered overthe linerand cooled, when it frictionally grips the liner with greatforce, in a Well known manner. It is essential that the one or moreshoulders ofthe liner-be-seated against thecorrespond i'ng shoulders ofthe tube'wvhen the a seinhly is complete, otherwise "the liner willcreep forward in service, which is objectionable for a number ofreasons.

Heretofore it has been very dillicult to as-' seinble the tube and linerin such manner that the corresponding shoulder or shoulders are properlyseated, largely dueto the fact thatthe hot tube on being dropped aroundthe cool liner causes the latter toexpand and contact with the tube at anumber of points along its length, and very oftentoward the muzzle endof the gun, before Contact isniade at the b'reechend. As the tubecontract-s longitudinally, as Well as diametrically upon cooling, it isobvious that if it has first gripped the liner in front of a shoulder,-that as it contracts longiti'idinall'y the shoulder of the tube Will'recede from the shoulder of the liner, to cause an undesirable, gapbetween the shoulders. first grip the liner in rear of the forwardlyfacingshoulder of the latter, obviously the shoulders would be drawntogether as the tube cools, but this practically never takes placebecause of the'relatively great thickness of the tube at the breech endWhere it may comprise several concentric cylinders,

as compared With its thickness at the muzzle,"

the here of the liner may vary widely from the theoretical compressiondesired.

It IS "the object of the present invention to provide an apparatus forassemblingtubes and liners Wh'erehyjt'he corresponding shoulders of tubeand liner are firmly and positive'ly seated and longitudinal shorteningof I the liner preveiited so that the liner of the j; resultn'ig gun isnot under initial longitudina-l compression, and in which the actualdiametrical co pression realized closely approximates the "desiredtheoretical compiles e fi The invention will he described below, and

illustrated in the accompanying drzmv' in which: I

Fig. '1 1S a longitudinal sectional view through an assembled tube andliner, showing the apparatus in operative position and F1 2 isan en'lared oartial section through a portion ofthe apparatus.

Iii-application, Ser. No. 528,574, filed January 11, 1922, is describedand claimed and apparatus for holding aliner againstloi'igitudina lcontraction as it is assembled with a tube, and in Figure l of'thedrawings or" the present application W8 have illustrated this apparatusCOHlblIlGCl with additional fea cures, It will bQHDClGlStOOCl, however,that these new features may be constructed and utilized entirelyindependeutlyoi this liner If the tube were to holding apparatus, and ina number of different forms;

The apparatus comprises essentially a steel shaft 10 which extendsthrough the bore of the liner, being held centrally therein by annularspacing members 11. The upper end of this bar 10 has connected thereto aplug 12, which has screw threaded engagement with the muzzle end of theliner itself, and the breech end of the bar 10 is connected or securedto a power device, preferably hydraulic, indicated at 13. Swinging arms14 having hooked ends 15 are also secured to the power mechanism 13,which is adapted when actuated, to effect relative movement between thebar 10 and the arms 14, drawing the tube rearwardly and moving the linerforwardly. Because of the engaging annular shoulders of the tube andliner, indicated at 16, the liner is held against longitudinalcontraction between the offset 16 and its muzzle end, thereby insuring,when the assembly has been completed, a gun in which the liner is underno initial longitudinal compression. I

' In order to insure that the tube and liner shall first engage at thebreech or first shoulder of each, means is provided for heating theliner at this section sufficiently to cause an expansion thereof to suchan extent that it will without fail be the first section to engage thecorrespondingsection of the tube.

as the latter gradually contracts while cooling. It is not necessary toheat the liner to a high temperature to bring about this result, and wetherefore preferably employ hot water or steam as a heating medium. Onthe shaft 10 are positioned rings 19 and 20, clearly illustrated insection in Figure 2, these rings being provided with packing strips. Theuppermost packing strips are designed to permit a slight leakage offluid by them and the plug 12 is provided with a vent 12 to allow theescape of air. Conduits are-formed in the rear portion of the column 10for the passage of fluid, a steam or hot .water inlet conduit beingindicated at 21 and an outlet conduit at 22. To the outer ends of theseconduits may be connected flexible fluid conduits for conducting theheated fluid to the conduit 21, and away from the outlet of the conduit22. By these means steam or hot water may be continually circulated inthe annular space around shaft 10 and between the rings 19 and 20,thereby heating this section of the liner and causing its expansion inthe desired manner.

In assembling a tube and liner the plug 12 is first screwed intopreparedthreads in the muzzle end of the liner and the liner placedaround vertical shaft 10, being supported only at its muzzle end. Theheated tube is then lowered into position over the liner, with itsentire weight resting on the shoulders of the liner. Steamis thenintroduced into the annular space between rings 19 and 20 and the flowof steam is kept up until the liner has been heated sufficiently to givea sufficient diametrical expansion to insure that the expanded sectionwill be the first section to contact with the cooling and contractingtube. Leakage of steam around the upper rings 20 causes the heating andexpanding of a section of the liner above this ring and, due to therising steam, this expansion slowly progresses upwardly. When the steamhas been shut off the hydraulic power mechanism is operated to exert anupward force at the muzzle of the liner and a downward force on the tubeto positively prevent the longitudinal contraction of the tube or toslightly stretch the same, if found desirable. Preferably the power isapplied in stages, being increased from time to time during the coolingof the tube.

The heat from the internal heating plant and the heat passing to theliner by conduction after it has engaged the hot tube is graduallytransmitted in both directions along the liner, causing the successiveexpansion of sections and gradual gripping of liner and tube throughouttheir lengths. The gradual heating of the liner also causes its gradualextension in both directions. As a result of this method of assemblingthe shoulders of the tube and liner are not only correctly seated butlongitudinal compressive stresses in the liner of the finished gun,

are practically avoided. The method above disclosed is set forth andclaimed in our copending application Ser. No. 528,573, filed January 11,1922.

The apparatus may be modified in various ways as will be obvious tothose skilled in the art. It is simple, inexpensive to construct andoperate and thoroughly efficient, being effective in causing the linerand tube to grip primarily at any section selected and thereby enablingthe operator in the shrink pit to be assured that in the assemblingoperation the various shoulders of the tube and liner are properlyseated and that objectionable longitudinal compressive stresses will notbe present.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is: i

1. In apparatus for assembling liners in.

tubes, means for expanding a section of the liner into grippingengagement with a predetermined zone of the tube comprising membersspaced apart a distance less than the length of a tube and its liner andadapted to form, with the interior wall of the liner, a compartment forheating fluid, and means for conducting heating fiuid to saidcompartment. 7

2. In apparatus for assembling liners in tubes, said liners and tubeshaving shoulders for contact, means for expanding a liner in the regionof a pair of contacting shoulders comprisingcmembers spaced inwardlyfrom the ends of a tube and liner and cooperating with the latter todefine a heating chamber for said region, and means for supplyingheating fluid to said chamber.

3. In apparatus for assembling liners in tubes, the combination of ashaft member adapted to be disposed within a liner, ring -membersdisposed inwardly of the ends of the shaft member and adapted to bespaced inwardly from the ends of a liner and to cooperate with thelatter to define a heating chamber, and means for conducting heatingfluid to said chamber.

4:. In apparatus for assembling liners in tubes, the combination of ashaftmember adapted to be disposed within a liner, ring members disposedinwardly of the ends of the shaft member for cooperation with a liner todefine a heating chamber, and inlet and outlet conduits communicatingwith the chamber for supplying heating fluid thereto, said conduitsextending along the shaft member and having entrance and dischargeconnections adjacent to one end thereof.

5. In apparatus for assembling liners in tubes,-the combination of ashaft member having means at one end for attachment to a liner, memberscarried by the shaft member adapted to cooperate with a liner to definea heating chamber, inlet and exhaust conduits carried by the shaftmember and communicating with the space between said members, means forattachment to a tube, and means between the last-named means and theshaft member for applying forces thereto in opposite directions.

6. In apparatus for assembling liners in tubes, the combination of ashaft member having means at one end for attachment to a liner,mechanism for attachment to a tube, power means between the mechanismand the shaft member for exerting forces thereon in opposite directions,members carried by the shaft member for cooperation with the tube memberto define a heating chamber, inlet and exhaust conduits carried by theshaft member and communicating with the space between said members, saidconduits extending along the shaft member and having inlet and exhaustconnections at the end thereof adjacent to said power means.

7. In apparatus for assembling liners in tubes, the combination of powermeans, arms carried by the power means for attachment to a tube, a shaftmember operably connected to the power means, means for connecting theshaft member to a liner, packed ring members carried by the shaft memberand adapted to fit within a liner, and fluid supply conduit meanscarried by the shaft member and communicating with the space between thepacked ring members.

8. In apparatus for assembling liners in tubes, the combination of powermechanism, means for attachment to a tube and to one side of the powermeans, a shaft member connected to the other side of the power means andadapted to extend through a liner, means carried by the shaft member forattachment to a liner, ring members carried by the shaft member adaptedto fit a liner and to define a heating chamber with respect thereto, andinlet and exhaust conduits communicating with the space between the ringmembers.

9. In apparatus for assembling a tube and liner, mechanism forstretching or elongating a liner in combination with means for heatingand expanding a section thereof, for the purpose set forth.

10. In apparatus for assembling tubes and liners, mechanism for holdinga liner against change of length during assembly in combination withmeans for heating and expanding a section thereof, for the purpose setforth.

11. In apparatus for assembling tubes and liners, in combination, meansincluding a shaft adapted to be inserted into the bore of a liner forpreventing longitudinal contraction of the liner during assembly, spacedrings on said shaft forming, with the inner wall of the liner and thesurface of the shaft, an annular heating chamber, and conduits forconducting heating fluid to and from said chamber, for the purpose setforth.

In testimony whereof we hereunto aflix our signatures. REES C. MORGAN.JOHN F. PELLY.

